GPS problem
Submitted: Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 20:33
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TDBTriton
Recently I was on the
Strzelecki Track and my GPS (Garmin II+) went on the blink. Apparently the connection to the screen had come loose. I normally leave it on the dash-board, not in a mount.
Has anyone else had any problems with vibrations working things loose on their GPS? I don't know if it's due to how I keep the GPS, or if it was just a problem with that unit. I keep it on a thin mat on the dash.
As a postscript, GME fixed the problem for free. The internal lithium battery was running out prematurely, and Garmin fixes that under warranty, even if the warranty is long gone. GME did that, but also fixed the screen problem for free too.
Reply By: joc45 - Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 20:43
Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 20:43
Hi,
Glad you had joy with GME.
My early II+ lost its lithium battery, and GME fixed that under warranty. About a year later, I downloaded a software upgrade for my II+, and followed the instructions to upgrade the garmin. As the upgrade was taking place, the computer said "communications lost", and that was the end of it. No talkies between Garmin and computer.
GME had a look and they couldn't get it to talk either. Was offered a replacement on exchange-basis, $250. Had not many other options, so accepted the offer. Got the newer one with the city database, which the earlier one didn't have.
Departed very long-faced from GME's
shop, $250 bucks poorer.
Gerry
AnswerID:
141235
Follow Up By: MichaelR - Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 22:11
Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 22:11
Joc45
I have a Garmin 2+. Same problem with the battery which was fixed under warranty. I was interested in the software upgrade. Could you let me know where you got it from? Is it worthwhile?
Thanks
FollowupID:
394906
Follow Up By: TDBTriton - Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 22:17
Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 22:17
At first, they weren't too sure about being able to fix
mine. They suggested a "change-over" might be necessary, at over $200. I like the GPS II+ and luckily, it's fixed now. But for $200 or more, I think I'd have been looking at a new GPS.
FollowupID:
394908
Follow Up By: joc45 - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 00:17
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 00:17
Michael,
Mine was the first of the II+, which didn't have the city database, bought back in the late 90's. I downloaded a software upgrade from the Garmin site, supposed to fix an intermittent shutdown problem, I recall. This was about 5 yrs ago. When I started the data transfer, it just died. End of story. Later versions didn't have this problem; there was a hardware as
well as software change.
Must admit, I was considering dumping it, and going for something else, but I like the device, and reluctantly paid the $250, a new one still being about $500 at the time.
I have since heard that leaving the AA cells out of the Garmin can cause premature run-down of the Lithium battery inside, so these days I make sure there is always a good set of AAs in the device.
Gerry
FollowupID:
394914
Follow Up By: MichaelR - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 21:50
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 21:50
Gerry
Thanks for the clarification. My 2+ does have the city database so must be a more recent model. I did have the battery problem when the AA's ran down losing all waypoints. Very irritating. Garmin fixed it even, though I have had the model for 4years or so, with no complaints. The idea of the battery though should be to maintain the data even if there are no AA's in the machine, I should think.
Thanks again.
Michael
FollowupID:
395056
Reply By: Neil & Lynne - Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 20:46
Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 20:46
I find that if I leave my Garmin +2 on the dash in the sun the screen washes out to become unreadable. Does this sound the same as yours?
WQhat happened when the battery went flat? Do you lose all waypoints etc? I don't think I have had that problem yet and it would be over 5 years old now I guess.
AnswerID:
141236
Follow Up By: Utemad - Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 21:51
Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 21:51
If you leave any LCD screen in the sun it will go black. It isn't a fault of the unit as such.
Happens to my Etrex all the time. A few seconds in front of the air con vent fixes it.
FollowupID:
394901
Follow Up By: TDBTriton - Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 22:09
Sunday, Nov 27, 2005 at 22:09
No. The display was flickering on and off. When it went off, sometimes it left a thick line across the centre of the screen, other times it went completely blank.
As for the lithium battery, it didn't get completely flat. GME saved the waypoints to a file, which I now have. (They forgot to reload it.) If I had left it any longer, I guess I would have lost the lot.
FollowupID:
394904
Follow Up By: joc45 - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 00:19
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 00:19
The first time
mine went flat, all the waypoints were lost. GME couldn't recover them.
Gerry
FollowupID:
394915
Reply By: dingbat - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 10:16
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 10:16
Thanks for the reminder re the internal battery, have just plugged GPS11+ into battery pack and its now searching the sky, has not been used for a few months since upgrading to a Meridan Gold for its mapping facilities-there is nothing wrong with the GPS 11+ and I was very happy with it.
regards
AnswerID:
141282